A drug overdose occurs when a person takes more medication or drugs than the recommended or prescribed amount, creating toxic effects in their body. It can cause severe damage to the body’s organs, including the liver, heart, and brain. If you are concerned that someone is experiencing overdose symptoms, seek emergency medical care immediately.
ChoosingTherapy.com may earn a commission from the companies whose services are linked on this page.
Workit Health - Online Treatment for Opioids or Alcohol, Including Medication.
Modern, personalized recovery that combines medication, a supportive community, and helpful content. Covered by many insurance plans. Currently available in FL, TX, OH, MI, and NJ. Learn more
What Is an Overdose?
A drug overdose occurs when someone consumes toxic amounts of medication or drugs. During a drug overdose, the severity and specific symptoms experienced can depend on the specific drug(s) they took, as well as the amount and duration of use.
Short-term effects of a drug overdose can include confusion, breathing difficulties, nausea and vomiting, seizures, and loss of consciousness. In severe cases, drug overdoses can lead to brain damage, coma, and death. Long-term effects of a drug overdose may include chronic health problems, mental illness, and the potential for future overdoses. It is critical to seek medical attention immediately if an overdose is suspected, as prompt treatment can prevent serious long-term effects.
What Happens in the Body During a Drug Overdose?
During a drug overdose, the body cannot process the excess amount of drugs consumed. Depending on the type of drug, this can lead to various overdose symptoms and effects on the body. For example, an overdose of a stimulant drug like cocaine or amphetamines can cause high blood pressure, seizures, and rapid heart rate. An overdose of an opioid like heroin or prescription painkillers can cause weak or impaired breathing, decreased heart rate, and loss of consciousness.
A drug overdose can cause the body’s systems to become overwhelmed and may lead to organ failure, particularly in the heart, liver, and kidneys. Overdoses can also lead to chemical imbalances in the brain, which may cause seizures or other life-threatening conditions if not properly treated. It is essential to seek medical attention immediately if you or someone you know is experiencing signs of a drug overdose.
Types of Substances That Can Cause an Overdose
It is a misconception that only illegal drugs and prescription drugs cause overdoses. Illegal drugs like cocaine and heroin are often abused in high quantities and can have dangerous effects on the body, with overdose being a distinct possibility. Additionally, prescription drugs(including painkillers, sedatives, and stimulants) can lead to an overdose if too much is taken or if the drugs are taken improperly, and sometimes even when taken as prescribed. Lastly, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs can also lead to an overdose if taken in high quantities or combined with other substances like alcohol or prescription medications.
According to the National Institute of Health, over 106,000 people died from a drug overdose in the US in 2021, whether from illicit drugs or prescription medications.1
The substances most commonly associated with overdose are:
- Opioids (fentanyl, heroin, prescription painkillers)
- Exposure Therapy: Exposure therapy allows individuals to gradually confront triggering situations contributing to a person’s addictive behaviors. As a result, sufferers understand how to identify, manage, and increase tolerance to triggers.
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): DBT aims to bring mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness together to help individuals over addiction. Individuals aim to experience greater mood, self-respect, and psychosocial functioning to cope better.
- Motivational Interviewing: Motivational interviewing encourages change by enhancing intrinsic motivation. Building a non-judgemental, understanding, and supportive environment for the individual can help improve self-esteem and self-worth within the perceptions of their substance use disorders.
- Group Therapy: Addiction often leads to isolation. Group therapy helps individuals increase their peer support and learn techniques with non-judgemental feedback and support.
Intensive Outpatient Treatment
Intensive outpatient treatment (IOP) is a structured outpatient treatment program providing structure and support for addiction patients. These programs are designed to have participants examine all components of their addiction, from triggers to underlying origins. IOP attempts to provide flexibility with a schedule along with social support, customizable treatment, group therapy, and post-recovery coping mechanisms. Timelines for treatment can vary from 2 to 12 weeks. The costs of IOP can vary depending on the program, intensity, and duration. Many IOPs accept insurance and can provide personalized services depending on individual needs.
Rehab
Depending on the severity of the addiction, rehabs can provide inpatient or outpatient rehab. It will be up to the individual and their treatment team to determine the appropriateness of Inpatient vs. outpatient rehab.
Rehab options include:
- 30 to 60-day residential treatment facilities
- Outpatient rehab
- Intensive outpatient & partial hospitalization
- Medical detox
- Dual-diagnosis treatment
- 12-Step programs
- Individual counseling
Workit Health - Online Treatment for Opioid Addiction.
Nonjudgmental, convenient recovery that combines medication, a supportive community, and interactive content. Workit Health’s peer-reviewed outcomes beat those of traditional care, all from the privacy of home. Covered by many insurance plans. Currently available in FL, TX, OH, MI, and NJ. Learn more.
In My Experience
The first thing I tell clients after they overdose is how lucky they are to be alive. I do everything in my power to drive this point home. Although beneficial and life-saving, interventions such as CPR and Narcan often cannot reverse even mild overdoses. Individuals revived with CPR usually suffer broken ribs from the chest compressions. I have worked with clients who were in the best shape of their life, only not to survive an overdose. Remember when I mentioned that irreversible brain damage can occur after 5 minutes? Now consider how long emergency services take to arrive after being first alerted. It is most likely emergency services will not arrive until at least one-half hour after breathing stops.
I advise all overdose survivors to participate in an inpatient rehabilitation program. Period. If you know someone that suffers from an addiction to opioids, strongly consider enrolling yourself in a Narcan training course, and have Narcan readily available. When it comes to life or death, individuals suffering from addiction deserve the best possible shot at recovery, and this often requires a prolonged and honest inventory of self.
Drug Overdose: Signs, Symptoms, & Treatment Infographics
ChoosingTherapy.com strives to provide our readers with mental health content that is accurate and actionable. We have high standards for what can be cited within our articles. Acceptable sources include government agencies, universities and colleges, scholarly journals, industry and professional associations, and other high-integrity sources of mental health journalism. Learn more by reviewing our full editorial policy.
-
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2023, March 31). >Drug overdose death rates. National Institutes of Health. https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates
-
Shestopal, I., & Bramness, J. G. (2019). Effect of Hypnotherapy in Alcohol Use Disorder Compared with Motivational Interviewing: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Addictive Disorders & Their Treatment, 18(3) 169-175. doi: https://doi.org/10.1097/ADT.0000000000000170
We regularly update the articles on ChoosingTherapy.com to ensure we continue to reflect scientific consensus on the topics we cover, to incorporate new research into our articles, and to better answer our audience’s questions. When our content undergoes a significant revision, we summarize the changes that were made and the date on which they occurred. We also record the authors and medical reviewers who contributed to previous versions of the article. Read more about our editorial policies here.
Author: ChoosingTherapy.com Editorial Team
Primary Changes: Removed 10 outdated or broken links.
Your Voice Matters
Can't find what you're looking for?
Request an article! Tell ChoosingTherapy.com’s editorial team what questions you have about mental health, emotional wellness, relationships, and parenting. Our licensed therapists are just waiting to cover new topics you care about!
Leave your feedback for our editors.
Share your feedback on this article with our editors. If there’s something we missed or something we could improve on, we’d love to hear it.
Our writers and editors love compliments, too. :)
Additional Resources
To help our readers take the next step in their mental health journey, ChoosingTherapy.com has partnered with leaders in mental health and wellness. ChoosingTherapy.com is compensated for marketing by the companies included below.
Online Treatment for Opioids or Alcohol, Including Medication.
Workit Health – Modern, personalized recovery that combines medication, a supportive community, and helpful content. Covered by many insurance plans. Currently available in FL, TX, OH, MI, and NJ. Visit Workit Health
Alcohol Treatment – Cut Back or Quit Entirely
Ria Health – Quickly change your relationship to alcohol with our at-home program. On average, members reduce their BAC levels by 50% in 3 months in the program. Services are covered by many major health plans. Visit Ria Health
Drinking Moderation
Sunnyside – Want to drink less? Sunnyside helps you ease into mindful drinking at your own pace. Think lifestyle change, not a fad diet. Develop new daily routines, so you maintain your new habits for life. Take a 3 Minute Quiz
Best Online Medication-Assisted Treatment Programs
Online medication-assisted treatment programs are fairly new to the telehealth industry, but existing companies are expanding quickly with new programs emerging every day. It’s important to explore your options and understand the level of virtual care available so you can choose the best addiction treatment program for you.
Best Mindful Drinking Apps
If you’re thinking about joining the sober curious movement and you’d like to cut back on drinking, mindful drinking apps are a great place to start. Practicing mindful drinking can take some time, attention, and patience, but with the help of the right app, you can completely transform your relationship with alcohol.
